How to pronounce odd
Say it like OD. Odd is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce odd. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- OD
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Odd pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- ODSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "ah" in father.
American vs British pronunciation of odd
- The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English.
British respelling: OD.
What does odd mean?
- not divisible by two
- not easily explained“it is odd that his name is never mentioned”
- an indefinite quantity more than that specified“invited 30-odd guests”
Where does odd come from?
Cognate to Icelandic oddi (“triangle, point of land, odd number”), Swedish udda (“odd”), udd (“a point”), Danish od (“point of weapon”) and odde (“a headland, point”), Norwegian Bokmål odde (“a point”, “odd”, “peculiar”); related to Old English ord (“a point”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Opposite meaning
Words that rhyme with odd
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of odd.
Questions about saying odd
How do you pronounce odd?
Say OD. The American pronunciation is /ɑd/. In British English it is /ɒd/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in odd?
Odd is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: OD.
Is odd pronounced differently in British English?
Yes. The short o is rounded in British English (as in "hot"), but open and unrounded in American English. The British form is /ɒd/ (OD).